MILAN — Team USA and Canada meet again.
The U.S. women’s hockey team advanced to the gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics following a 5-0 semifinal rout of Sweden, marking the Americans’ fifth consecutive shut-out of the tournament. The Americans then played the waiting game to learn their next opponent and it’s a familiar one.
Team USA is set to face off against Canada in Thursday’s gold medal match for the seventh time in Olympic history, marking the latest edition of the nations’ storied rivalry. The U.S. and Canada have competed against each other in all but one gold medal game since women’s hockey made its Olympic debut in 1998.
U.S. defender Haley Winn said facing Canada in the final again isn’t ‘a surprise for us.’
‘It would be a game that we would be prepared for and that we’re looking forward to,’ added Winn, who had an assist on Monday. ‘Whoever it is … we’re excited and the job’s not finished.’
Marie-Philip Poulin vs. Hilary Knight
Two five-time Olympians will be on the ice on Thursday: American Hilary Knight and Canadian Marie-Philip Poulin. Both veterans are in a league of their own and are two of only four players to score in five different Olympics, joining Canadians Jayna Hefford and Hayley Wickenheiser.
Poulin led Canada with two goals in a shutout victory over Switzerland on Monday. With the goals, Poulin surpassed Wickenheiser (18) to become the women’s all-time leading Olympic scorer with 20 goals. It marked Poulin’s fifth career Olympics with two or more goals.
‘It’s so cool. I grew up idolizing her and I obviously still do,’ said Canada’s Daryl Watts, who assisted both of Poulin’s goals. ‘ She means so much to our team and to the country, so its special to be apart of history for (Philip) … She’s the greatest player of all-time, so just so happy for her. It’s easy to be happy for such a nice, special person.’
Poulin (lower body injury) returned to the ice during the quarterfinal round and has scored three goals in two games.
She’s not the only veteran making history. Knight tied the all-time U.S. Olympic record for goals (14) and points (32) and is one goal and one point away from claiming the records outright. She didn’t register a point in the U.S. women’s win over Sweden on Monday, but she didn’t need to.
USA women’s hockey stats entering gold medal game
Five different players scored for Team USA, including a chaotic second period during which the Americans scored four goals. Three game within less than 3 minutes of each other. The U.S. has scored at least five points in each of its Olympic matches and has outscored opponents, 31-1. The Americans haven’t conceded a goal since their 5-1 win over Czechia on Feb. 5, setting an Olympic record for the most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal (300 minutes).
‘The team is playing so well defensively they are making my job easy by making the plays in front of me so predictable so I can do my job,’ goalkeeper Aerin Frankel said after registering her third shutout. (Gwyneth Philips also recorded two shutouts at the Games.)
USA women’s hockey vs. Canada at 2026 Olympics
One of those shutouts came at Canada’s expense. Team USA kept Canada off the scoresheet for the first time in Olympic history in a 5-0 win on Feb. 10. However, the Americans said they aren’t reading too much into it. Poulin was sidelined during the preliminary round matchup with a lower body injury that kept her out of two games. Poulin returned to the ice during the quarterfinal rounding has scored three goals in two games.
‘Nothing matters. It’s the gold medal game. Everyone’s going to show up and if they don’t, they’re not meant to be there,’ Taylor Heises said. ‘We’re very excited to bring what we have on Thursday and I think when we focus on what we can do, we’re so good. And I think focusing on what we’ve done in the past, obviously I’m remiss to say we’ve done great and we’ve had great success. You want to take that confidence and motivation, but you want to move forward and we’re going to look for us and we’re going to do what we need to do.’
USA women’s hockey vs. Canada Olympic history
Of the six times Canada and the U.S. have played in the gold medal game, the Canadians have walked away with four of those gold medals, including the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. But Team USA enters Thursday’s matchup as the favorite after dismantling the Canadians 5-0 in their preliminary matchup on Feb. 10. It marked the first time Canada has been shutout in Olympic history.
When is USA women’s hockey vs. Canada in gold medal game?
The Americans and Canadians play at 1:10 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 18.
Where to watch USA women’s hockey vs. Canada in Olympics gold medal game
USA Network is airing the game, and Peacock is streaming it.
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